Thanks for supporting Lollipop Day - Louise

Lollipop Day, the annual Oesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF) awareness and fundraising campaign, took place last February and Louise Morgan Walsh, a Clinical Nurse Manager at Nenagh Hospital, who has volunteered for the OCF since 2015 wishes to thank the people of Nenagh and the surrounding area for their generous donations and for raising over €5,400 for the OCF.

Ms Morgan Walsh said: “Lollipop Day is a volunteer-led movement which relies on public support to keep research centres open and keep oesophageal cancer in the public consciousness. I’m delighted to support the work of the OCF and to help spread awareness through Lollipop Day about the symptoms of this terrible cancer and to encourage people to book an early GP appointment.

“Unfortunately, my family has experienced the devastation of this cancer, having lost my brother to it in 2015. He had been experiencing symptoms for quite some time and an earlier diagnosis could have made a big difference. What we do know for sure is that early detection saves lives and that’s why awareness building is so important.

“The OCF uses Lollipop Day to also urge the Irish pharmaceutical sector to promote early detection by carrying bigger and better warnings on their antacid packaging and through their advertising, as they do in the US market for example.”

OCF says that it is more important than ever to raise vital funds to spread awareness about oesophageal cancer.

“It is a very scary cancer and volunteering at Lollipop Day gives me the opportunity to meet the public and promote this awareness campaign. We can beat this cancer through knowledge, action and care, and for those who are diagnosed with this cancer, they should know that they don’t walk this difficult pathway alone, and the OCF will be there by their side, through our patient support programme.”

Patient support and networking is hugely important for those affected and OCF is funding five local patient support meetings around the country this year, in addition to educational workshops and literature on diet, exercise, sleep patterns and well-being for those affected.

FURTHER DETAILS

For more information on Lollipop Day, to volunteer, or to donate, please go to www.ocf.ie.